Morning journal and courier., 1887-04-15

tion, viZ. Its sympathy with humanity and endeavors and institutions to alleviate human life, and only within the memory of living men has organized effort been made to save life and property imperilled by the sea. The first advocate of a United States life saving service was William A. Newell, New Jer- sey Congressfnan who wis incited by the terrible shipwrecks on the coast of that State. One of the most distressing of these was that of the John Minturn, stranded in 1S4S of Barnegat Bay, the story of which was told in the essay. Out of three hundred souls only fourteen wsre saved. "In mark ed contrast to this we find that in the year 1886 three hundred and seventy-on vessels were shipwrecked on our coasts and of 2, 439 lives imperilled all but eleven were saved. With such record it is no longer a marvel that the American life saving institu- ton has taken so firm hold upon the hearts of our people.
 Comparatively few of the well-housed in habitants of the land realize that through the long, cold, clustering days and the dark :, rainy and tempestuous nights of the whole winter season sehtinsls are trathpipg the Atlantic coast from Maine to Florida on the lookout for endangered vessels. These men, who are sacrificing their own welfare and health, exposing themselves fearlessly and nobly to the perils of land and sea, deserve something more than honorable mention. Notable acts of heroism among our life- saving service are of frequent occurrence and their dauntless courage repeatedly calls forth our sympathy and admiration An in- stance of recent date-the wreck of the steamer Pliny off Deal Beach, N. J., and from which sixty one lives were saved; af- lords memorable example of the manner in which these surfmen sacrifice all personal in terests-yes, and even lay down their lives to prove themselves faithful to their trust.
 Imagine, if you will, a dark December roirh khnpHa fha ehnro. the winds bowling and human lives in immi- nent peril. The surfmen whose duty it is to patrol the beach finger, while they may, be- fore the fire in the station; but at length, with a last regretful glance at their snug quarters, they shiveringly plunge into the night. One looks back to catch the last glimmer of light from the lantern of the oth- CT as 1t swings to and fro on the beach; then continues his solitary walk, peering through the gloom for glimpse of any ves- sel in danger. He fancies he sees light out beyond the breakers. It has disappeared; :; there it is again, and this time not only the light but the flare of a rocket, which reveals a bark close inshore riding on to destruction.
 He burns his crimson light; but too late, the vessel has struck upon the shoals. He has tens back to the station with the news. Open the boat room door!' Man the beach wagonr are the orders given by the keepers. The life savers immediately start for the wreck, and coming up upon 8 run are greeted with prolonged huzzas by the gun. arrange the handling lines and the life car, while the beach lantern lights up the scene. The rocket is fired and the shot with it's line goes flying against the gale over the wreck into the sea beyond! It is soon seized by the sailors whose glad shouts make known to the life savers their success. The hawser and haul ing lines are then set up and the imperiled sea- farers are safely drawn ashore. Yet this same crew of life savers died nobly at their post of duty few months later; and let us whisper it gently and with deep humiliation. our country has forgotten it's obligation to their families. No pension has been granted them Is it not right, is it not just that those dependent on a man killed in trying to save life should be provided for?
 "A gallant soul whose name honors the rolls of the life-saving service once said: When I see man clinging to wreck l see nothing else in the world, and never think of family and friends until I have saved him. It is certain that this is the port, all record testi6es to it and every week their deeds sublimely define the declaration, Greater love hath no man than this, that man lay down his life fer his friends"
 The last essay was by Alexander William Evans on character aud capital as elements or success. MT. cNauS was 6lSO kEOCtcu W1Gu great applause. He spoke as follows:
 It is no unusual thing for us in the present day to designate the lives of certain individu- als as successful. We consider the acknowl- edgment of their success 8 high tribute of praise paid to their careers; and yet what do we suggest to others in regard to the lives themselves by the mere statement that they were successful ones! Is there any true cri- terion of a successful life with which all can be compared, or may one differ from another in it's essential characteristicss
 There are two distinct ways in which these inquiries may be answered, for there are two distinct interpretations of this phrase. Were we to view it in it's bare abstract signifca- tion, putting, side by side, the pose it, we should conceive of a suc cessful life as a life whose chosen objects had been fulfilled, whose most cher ished plans had reached fortunate eonsum- nation With this view in mind there is no standard of judging; the success of each life must be determined by it's own individual merits; and the mere assertion that 8 life was successful tells us absolutely nothing of it's nature, it's objects, or it's work. In strong contrast to this broad and general view is the one usually entertained. In this, material prosperity is regarded as the first if not the only essential of success. The terms are, in- deed, often used anonymously; and so, for
  ing in luxury on the profits of his industry or investments, has come to be regarded as the fit type of the successful life. The lives of men following other vacations, profes- sional men, statesmen and others who excel in their chosen fields of labor, are accounted famous or illustrious, but the term successful" is reserved for pros too strictly defined, and yet, being the pop ular one, it should form the basis of our con 
 It is with this view in mind that the would-be gainer of success enters upon his active life. He marks out his career as 8 series of stepping stones leading to the desired end, industry, profitable invest ment and wealth ending in success. To his mind, and perhaps to the minds of most of us, riches, being the first essential and often the sign of prosperity, bear the same rela- tion to success. They are certainly necessa- " to it with our accepted view: but are they as certainly it's indicator! Are there not many lives in which riches play prominent part and success is wanting? We do not re- gard the heir, living contentedly upon his as successful; we would not re- gard the defaulter, counting his stolen wealth by thousands, as successful; we cannot regard the miser, boarding in penury his hard earned treasures successful. They have
 
 material element for riches alone, if properly used, cover that ground; it must be some quality of the successful man himself, of his character. We examine the lives of we'll known successful men, we study their characters, searching for the essentials of success which wealth alone cannot supply. We are rewarded for our labor. We find existing there three qualities which are ever present and hence indispensable. An abili- ty and love for business, an energy of pur pose and honesty. Through the first they have chosen and become attached to their vocation, they have been enabled to solve the many and difficult problems of trust and investment through the second they have grasped many opportunities for profit lost to the less energetic; through the third and fore most they have kept their names and regulations unsullied by suspicion. Without these qualities their business careers had been but failures unworthy of the years expended upon them. Should we examine the lives of these men more closely and study their characters more faithfully we find no other qualities which influence the success of all The three first discovered form a complete list. We do, however, find consid. erable difference in the circumstances of their lives. In some cases the men have en- tered upon their careers favored by fortune and by all that seems conducive to prosperi-